1. Field of the Invention
This invention relates generally to electric energy accumulators, and more particularly to an accumulator for smoothing energy received from intermittent or variable sources.
2. Description of the Prior Act
A problem arises with the use of solar energy, and the like, in that such energy is often intermittent and/or variable in nature requiring some manner of storing and smoothing the collected energy prior to its being dispensed.
Various devices have been proposed for accumulating electrical energy. For example, U.S. Pat. No. 674,437, issued May 21, 1901 to A. Palencsar, discloses apparatus including a tethered balloon for collecting atmospheric electricity. Once collected, the electricity is conducted to an accumulator or accumulators after being regulated by a rheostatic device comprising a "bell-jar" switch. Further, U.S. Pat. No. 685,958, issued Nov. 5, 1901, to N. Telsa, discloses the use of radiant energy, as from the sun, by having it impinge the positive plate of a condenser, or capacitor, while U.S. Pat. No. 761,090, issued May 31, 1904, to I. Mosciciki, discloses a condenser construction including a tubular glass shell closed at a one end and having a narrow passage at the other end. Thickness of the shell varies to absorb tension imparted to it.
U.S. Pat. No. 792,443, issued June 13, 1905, to J. Morwitz, discloses a condenser formed by a plurality of concentric sleeves, while U.S. Pat. No. 1,139,976, issued May 18, 1915, to A. N. Hovland, discloses a leyden jar construction in which each jar is a dome, cylinder, or no more than a hemisphere in in order to permit nesting of parallel jars.
U.S. Pat. No. 1,956,368, issued Apr. 24, 1934, to K. Wilde, discloses a wired-wireless system in which energy is fed into a transmitter or receiver by a condenser which includes a glass envelope having a pair of cylindrical electrodes disposed within it.
U.S. Pat. No. 2,454,102, issued Nov. 16, 1948, to J. D. Stacy, discloses a capacitor which is gas filled; the gas forming the dielectric, while U.S. Pat. No. 2,486,964, issued Nov. 1, 1949, to M. E. Miller discloses an electrical accumulator having a glass shell and partition, and containing a powdered material capable of receiving an electrical charge.